Dear  John,

In their thorough and wide-ranging book, Ferguson and Witcher argue that the unworthy aspects of America’s racial past are largely due to violations of the very principles most characteristic of the American tradition. Even so, many black Americans have beaten the odds and built thriving institutions and a vigorous culture when they were able to leverage property rights, freedom of contract, and the rule of law. There is much for all of us to learn from their experience in how to better protect the American tradition of giving opportunities to every American.

Dr. Ferguson is learned and lively! You won’t want to miss this discussion. She is a professor at Concordia University Chicago, Assistant Dean of the College of Business, and Director of the Free Enterprise Center, as well as an affiliate scholar of the Acton Institute.

Please join us on Tuesday, September 27, at 7 p.m. EST

We look forward to engaging with your questions. And feel free to pass this invitation along to others who would be interested in hearing Dr. Ferguson on this topic. 

In other Bookman news, I am happy to announce that Luke Sheahan has appointed two new assistant editors: David G. Bonagura, Jr., teacher and author of Steadfast in Faith and Staying with the Catholic Church, who has been named religion editor, and James Davenport, a Consultant with American Philanthropic and a former colleague of mine at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Both David and James are frequent contributors, talented writers, and are committed to advancing the Bookman’s legacy of high-quality conservative writing.

Here are two recent reviews by them: 

More reviews and essays can be found on the Kirk Center’s Bookman page and new ones are posted each Sunday.

Thank you for being part of the Bookman community and supporting the renewal of culture. I hope you accept this invitation and join us in our virtual Book Gallery. And if you ever visit Mecosta, you can also browse the actual shelves of the nationally-recognized Mecosta Book Gallery that is operated by a legendary bookman, John Rau. In closing, let us recall the motto Russell Kirk included on the cover of the old print editions of the University Bookman: Deo adjuvante labor proficit.

Sincerely,